Those Voices
by MewPainappuru
Summary: Sakaki wasn't always as quiet and reserved as she is so well known for. She finally reveals what happened to her years ago that led her to be who she is now.
1. Chapter 1

_**As a child, Sakaki wasn't as quiet and shy as she is now. This is a story that is meant to not only explains her reserved nature, but her love for all things cute and her bond with Chiyo-chan. **_Please review. Let me know what you like and what I can fix. I live to please! The sooner you review, the sooner I update!_****_

_****_Disclaimer: I don't own Azumanga Daioh. All characters (aside from a few orginal ones needed for plot purposes) belong to the creators. _****_

Those Voices

_I wasn't always this way. I wasn't always so shy and quiet. I wasn't always so cut off from the rest of the world. But, of course, no one knew the old me. No one knows what happened that made me the way I am. And for a long time, I promised myself that no one ever would. It's not their burden to carry…_

"Sakaki, your mommy and daddy are home."

Sakaki's head snapped up and she looked at her parents with happiness. She didn't really mind having a babysitter, but her parents had been gone for so long. She really missed them and was happy that they were finally home. She abandoned her unicorn puzzle on the floor and greeted her parents at the door. "Mommy, Daddy, I missed you!"

Sakaki's father went upstairs without saying anything to her. Her mother gave her a smile, but something didn't seem right about it. Sakaki could see tears in the corners of her mother's eyes and her face was red a blotchy.

"Mommy, are you alright?" Sakaki asked, worried that something might be wrong with her mother.

Her mother wiped her eyes and nodded. "Yes darling, but your father and I do need to talk to you about something very important."

Sakaki's eyes widened. "Am I in trouble?" she asked, her bottom lip quivering.

"No, not at all sweetie. Will you please go wait for me in the sitting room? I just want to thank Mae for staying with you. And then I will come talk to you." She stroked Sakaki's long, soft hair.

Sakaki nodded her head and obediently went to the sitting room. She made herself comfy while her mother and Mae whispered to each other. After she heard the front door close, her mother and father walked into the room. Sakaki noticed that her father's eyes were red and puffy under his glasses, but she didn't say anything. She patiently waited for them to settle on the couch across from her.

Her mother took a deep breath then finally said, "Sakaki, you know that we took Aika to the doctor today right?"

Sakaki nodded, remembering how scared she had been, but her father had assured her that everything was going to be ok. "Daddy said Aika might be a little sick, but she will be ok."

Her father turned away, guilt making him unable to look at Sakaki any longer. Her mother placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, but he didn't move.

"Is something wrong with Aika?" Sakaki asked, her voice starting to shake as tears threatened to fill her eyes. She didn't want Aika to be sick. If Aika was sick, who was Sakaki going to play with every day? Who would she tell secrets to? Who was going to be her best friend?

"Well," her mother continued, her voice a little watery, "the doctor said that Aika is a little sick. You know how Aika has been having a bit of a hard time talking lately?"

Sakaki nodded. Aika didn't use big girl words like her mom and dad wanted her to. She just grunted and made strange noises to try and tell people what she wanted. And even though her mom and dad got angry with Aika for it, Sakaki didn't mind. She found that she could understand Aika fairly well.

"Aika has a sickness where she might not be able to talk for a very long time," Sakaki's mother said, tears starting to fill her eyes again. "So, we're going to have to help Aika learn to talk and we have to try and learn to understand her to the best of our ability. Do you understand Sakaki?"

Sakaki nodded again. She was going to be a big helper. Since she was eight years old, there was a lot that she could do and she promised herself to help Mommy in every way she possibly could. "I'll do my best!" she cheered, giving her parents an innocent smile.

"We know you will," her father said, finally speaking up. "We know you'll be the greatest big sister in the whole world."

And Sakaki promised she would. She would be the best big sister Aika could ever ask for. Aika was more than just Sakaki's four year old sister. Aika was Sakaki's best friend and Sakaki would do anything for her.

_**Just a note: I used the name Aika because in Japanese, it means love song. It's sort of a play on irony. I'm really interested in what you have to say and what you think will happen. Also, suggestions are always welcome! Please, tell me what you think! The more reviews I get, the sooner I'll update. Thanks for reading!**_

_**Mew Painappuru**_


	2. Chapter 2

Two

_Just because I don't talk about it, doesn't mean it never happened. There are some things that people just don't like to mention. And it's not because I was ashamed of her. In truth, I was so proud of Aika, just because she was trying so hard to cope with her disability. She was always so strong…_

The next morning, Sakaki acted as if her talk with her mom and dad had never happened. She didn't treat Aika any different just because she was sick. She still showered her with love and played all the games Aika wanted to play. She helped get Aika's juice when she was thirsty and cookies when she wanted a snack. Sakaki's parents would occasionally pull her to the side and thank her for being so nice to her little sister, but Sakaki would just shrug and run back to Aika's side.

"Be good for Mae!" Aika and Sakaki's mother called as pulled on her coat.

"We will! Have fun at work Mommy!" Sakaki beamed as she held Aika close to her side. Both of the little girls waved to their mother as she opened the front door.

"Have a nice day, Sari," Mae said as Sakaki's mother slipped out the door. When the lock clicked, Mae turned to the girls. "Well, what do you two want to do today?"

"Gnuhhh, mah!" Aika babbled, making funny hand movements. She seemed excited about whatever she was talking about, but Mae stared at her with a confused expression.

"Do you want to play with some puzzles?" she asked Aika, trying her best to guess what the little girl was trying to say. When Aika shook her head, Mae sighed with defeat. "I'm sorry Aika, I don't know what you want…"

"Dress-up," Sakaki said. "Aika wants to play dress-up." She smiled down at her little sister. "You can even ask her. She'll tell you I'm right."

Mae stared at Sakaki in disbelief for a few seconds, then turned to Aika and asked, "Do you want to play dress-up?"

Aika cheered and jumped up and down with eagerness. She grabbed one of Sakaki's hands and one of Mae's hands and dragged the older girls into the playroom, where the dress-up chest was kept. She spun around in circles, prattling incoherently. Sakaki opened the chest and pulled out a long, purple gown. She held it out to Aika, who took with a squeal of glee and put it on.

"That one is her favorite," Sakaki said as she helped zip up the back of the dress. "Doesn't it make her look so pretty? She looks just like a real princess." She then reached back into the box and pulled out a small, silver tiara. "There. Now she really is a princess."

Aika spun around and around in her dress, fascinated by the way it swirled around her. She then turned to Sakaki and tugged at her older sister's T-shirt. "Baayyyah!" she cooed. Sakaki nodded and rummaged through the chest until she found a yellow dress. She pulled it out of the chest and handed it to Mae.

"Aika wants you to wear this one. She thinks it will look the prettiest on you." Sakaki said, pushing her bangs out of her eyes. She made a mental note to ask Mommy for a haircut when she came home.

Mae looked over at Aika, who was staring at her with starry eyes. It was clear by her facial expression that she was waiting for the dress to be put on. But Mae had no idea how Sakaki had known what Aika wanted just by listening to the little girl's jumbled speech. She knew Sakaki was smart for her age, but even Sari and Lucan had trouble with understanding Aika. And they were the child's parents for God's sake! It didn't make sense to Mae…

"Mae, you're taking too long," Sakaki said, snapping the babysitter out of her thoughts. "If you take too long, Aika will get bored and she will choose a different game to play." She looked at her sister and then back at Mae. "I really want to play Princesses with Aika, but if she gets bored we will have to play her next game. Please put your dress on."

Mae nodded. "I'm sorry Sakaki. I'm sorry Aika." She slipped the large yellow dress on. It was too big for her and she felt awkward in it, but because she was only playing with the children, she didn't mind too much. It was, however, obvious that the dress was not meant for a sixteen year old.

"That's the dress Aika always makes Mommy wear too," Sakaki explained. "It's the only grown-up dress that we have." She then walked back to Aika and asked what dress she was supposed to wear. Aika rambled a response and Sakaki fished out a blue dress from the chest, resulting in another joyful squeal from Aika. The three girls played until Sakaki announced that Aika was bored and ready to play a new game.

Mae was amazed at how well Sakaki could understand her sister. Sakaki was the perfect translator for Aika, always knowing exactly what the youngest girl wanted or needed. Mae explained to Sari how special Sakaki and Aika's bond was when the woman returned home from work.

Sari thanked Mae for her hard work and made a note of what was said. She had too noticed that Sakaki and Aika were very close and that Sakaki seemed to understand Aika better than anyone else, but she didn't realize how strong their sisterhood was. Sari was filled with pride for her older daughter and how well she had accepted Aika's disability. She was sure that Sakaki would always be there for those who needed her, no matter what their problem may be.

_** I'm really interested in what you have to say and what you think will happen. Also, suggestions are always welcome! Please, tell me what you think! The more reviews I get, the sooner I'll update. Thanks for reading!**_

_**Mew Painappuru**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Thank you for the reviews! Wetdry, read on and see what else is in store for these girls! James Birdsong, thank you! I hope you continue to read and enjoy :)**_

Three

_It's not always easy to understand everybody, but you honestly have to try. There is so much you can learn from someone who is different then you and sees the world in a different way than you do. Aika taught me that…_

Enrolling Aika into school was a challenge. Her parents had waited until she was seven to register her, with the hopes that she might overcome her disability, even if only by a little bit. But even at seven, Aika was still unable to talk. She was placed into a special education class, where she had a one on one teacher with her at all times. But the even the teacher was constantly frusterated with the little girl and her inability to express what she wanted clearly.

One afternoon, on her way back to class from the bathroom, Sakaki passed a classroom and heard a shriek come from within. She stopped in her tracks and crept up to the door. She pressed her ear against the wooden door and listened carefully. Another scream sounded from inside the room and Sakaki's eyes widened. She knew that scream very well; it was Aika's. Sakaki knocked on the door and pushed it open. When she walked into the room, one of the teachers came up to her with a concerned look on her face.

"Can we help you, young lady?" the woman asked.

"What happened to Aika?" Sakaki responded. "Why is she screaming?"

The woman looked startled, for she was not aware that Sakaki was Aika's older sister. She glanced at Aika, who was sitting on the floor crying hysterically. When she looked to Sakaki, she was surprised to see the eleven year old walking away. The teacher thought she was going to leave the room, but instead, Sakaki made her way to Aika.

Sakaki sat down on the floor next to her sister and pulled the younger girl into her lap. She stroked Aika's soft, black hair and whispered words of comfort into her ear. Slowly, Aika relaxed and quieted down. "What's the matter Aika?" Sakaki asked when she was sure her sister was calm again. "What is it that you want?" Sakaki listened attentively as Aika babbled away. When the younger girl was silent again, Sakaki turned to the teacher. "Aika's tummy isn't feeling well. She may be sick. Would you like me to walk her to the nurse's office?"

The teacher stared at Sakaki with a gaping mouth. She couldn't fathom how the girl had managed to understand Aika when even the trained teachers had such a hard time. "How did you know…?" she asked, stunned.

"I'm her sister," Sakaki replied, "of course I can understand her." She paused for a minute, as if she were thinking about something, then looked back at the teacher, staring into her eyes and said, "You would be able to understand her too if you actually took the time to listen to her. It's not that hard, you know. You just have to listen really hard." With that, she stood up, took Aika's hand in her own and then left the class so she could take Aika to the nurse's office.

Sakaki and Aika continued to make many more similar situations, but Sakaki never failed to run to her sister's side and help her in any way she could. She became known throughout the small town she lived in as "The Interpreter". But she was alright with that, because it was true. She was Aika's interpreter and she promised Aika that she always would be. When Aika was ten years old, she had managed to master writing and her doctor suggested that she just write down everything she wanted to say. But Aika got tired of writing a lot, so Sakaki was always there to speak for Aika when she needed her to.

_** I'm really interested in what you have to say and what you think will happen. Also, suggestions are always welcome! Please, tell me what you think! The more reviews I get, the sooner I'll update. Thanks for reading!**_

_**Mew Painappuru**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**James Birdsong, thank you once again for your support! It means so much! Alapso, I'll work on making the chapters longer. And thank you for reading! ZaXo Ken'Ichi, thank you, not only for your praise, but for your suggestions towards what I can improve. I love reviews like that. One of the problems that you mentioned was that Aika was 11 in the third chapter. I just want to clarify that it was actually Sakaki who was eleven in that chapter. I'm so sorry for the confusion. I'll back through and try to make it clearer. However, I hope you continue to read and enjoy this story. I look forward to more of your criticism! Wetdry, That is a great idea! But I'm not confirming or denying anything ;D Read on and see what's going to happen!**_

Four

_She tried so hard to talk to other people, but no one else was willing to listen to her. And it really hurt her because there were people that she wanted- needed- to speak to. But she couldn't and there was nothing I could do to help her…_

When walking home from school one day, Sakaki couldn't help but notice that Aika seemed unusually happy. She looked as if she was going to bubble over with euphoria. She skipped the whole way home and her smile never faltered. When they finally reached their home, Sakaki turned to her sister and placed her hands on the younger girl's shoulders.

"Aika, you know you can't lie to me and you can't keep secrets. So, tell me, what is going on? Why do you look so happy?" The ten year old blushed and turned away from her older sister, but Sakaki did not let up. "Tell me! I'm your sister! We're supposed to tell each other everything…" Sakaki frowned, sincerely hurt by Aika's hesitation.

Seeing her sister's sadness, Aika babbled out an answer. She spoke fervently and excitedly, swinging her hands around for emphasis. When she finally stopped talking, Sakaki stared at her, open jawed. Then, unable to contain her excitement any longer, she let out a squeal of delight. "Oh Aika! This is such wonderful news! I can't believe it! I can't believe you weren't going to tell me! How mean of you!" Despite her words, Sakaki wasn't actually angry with her little sister. She could feel her cheeks turning bright red and she erupted into a fit of giggles.

Sakaki and Aika walked the rest of the way home, giggling and talking about possibilities. Sakaki's heart was beating overenthusiastically and she felt as if she might burst. She was so electrified by the news Aika had revealed. Could it be true that Aika heard Katashi, a boy in Sakaki's class on whom she was crushing, say that he really wanted to hang out with Sakaki? Was it possible that he liked her too? Sakaki was overwhelmed with "what-ifs" and she could barely stand it. She looked over at Aika, who had a proud smile on her face.

When the girls got home, they rushed up to Sakaki's bedroom. Aika jumped up onto Sakaki's bed, while the older girl scuttled around the room, grabbing crayons, markers, colored pencils, and paper. She dumped the materials onto her bed in front of Aika and then climbed onto the bed as well. Sakaki grabbed a thick, pink marker and started to draw a picture of a girl.

"We need to create a plan, Aika," Sakaki said, concentrating on the picture she was making. "We have to figure out a way to get Katashi to confess his love for me! Are you following me?" When Aika nodded, Sakaki smiled and continued. "I think it should be on the playground. Wouldn't that be so romantic?" In her picture, she created a playground background behind the pink girl. "So… we'll be at the playground and I'll accidently bump into Katashi. Then, I'll smile at him sweetly and say I'm sorry." She then grabbed a dark blue crayon and began to color a boy next to the girl. "Then he'll tell me that it's ok and it was his fault anyway. Then he'll tell me that he has loved me all of this time and was just too scared to tell me. And then he'll ask me to be his girlfriend and I'll say yes and we will live happily ever after!" She completed the drawing by putting a large, red heart around the two people. "What do you think, Aika? Is that a good plan?" Aika nodded eagerly, resulting in a huge grin from Sakaki. Neither of them could wait for school the next day, for they were both anxious to see how well their plan was going to work out.

The next morning, Sakaki dressed herself in her school uniform, this time including a ribbon that Aika had recommended. They walked to school together, Sakaki taking extra care not to dirty her clothing. She had to look her best for Katashi. She stared at the ground, on the look-out for puddles and dirt. She patiently sat through class, occasionally glancing at Katashi to see if he was staring at her. When it was finally time for break, she walked out onto the playground and looked for her sister. She saw Aika playing in the sandbox all by herself. Sakaki walked over to the smaller girl.

"Come on Aika. It's time to put our plan in action!" Aika jumped up out of the sandbox and joined her sister. They searched the playground for Katashi, finally locating him by a large tree, talking with his friend, Ryuu. Aika smiled at her sister encouragingly and they made their way over to the two boys. Neither Katashi nor Ryuu looked up at them when the girls finally stopped in front of them. Sakaki had to clear her throat for them to acknowledge their presence.

"Hi Katashi," Sakaki said with a smile. "It's a beautiful day today isn't it?"

"Um… Yeah. I suppose so," Katashi responded, looking at Ryuu with confusion. "Uh, is there a reason you're over here? Can we help you with something?"

"Don't you see anything else around here that you think is beautiful?" Sakaki pressed, hoping he would get the hint. Katashi only raised an eyebrow in response. Sakaki sighed and decided to just be straightforward. "Katashi… I know you like me. My sister heard you telling someone that you thought I was pretty and that you really like me. I just… I wanted to let you know that I like you too Katashi!"

Ryuu suddenly burst into laughter. "Her? You like _her_?" he asked Katashi. "Why would you have a crush on her? She's weird and she's not even that pretty!"

Sakaki gasped at the boy's words and she felt tears fill her eyes. She turned to Katashi desperately. "Katashi… You think I'm pretty right? Please Katashi… Please tell me you think I'm pretty and you want to be my friend…"

Katashi's cheeks flushed bright red. He looked to his best friend, who was still laughing at the idea of Katashi crushing on someone like Sakaki. Then he looked to Sakaki, who had tears in her eyes and was clutching her little sister's hand. He sighed and then shook his head. "I'm sorry Sakaki," he said, resulting in a gasp from Sakaki. "Either your sister heard wrong or she lied to you. I never said any of those things."

"What?" Sakaki cried out, her tears now freely flowing. "That can't be right! Aika wouldn't lie to me…" Aika nodded her head furiously in agreement. Sakaki ran to Katashi and threw her arms around him. "Please tell me you're kidding!"

Katashi glanced at Ryuu. His friend looked disgusted that Sakaki was anywhere near them. With a heavy heart, Katashi pushed Sakaki off of him and watched her fall to the ground. "Well, maybe your sister's hearing is just as messed up as her speech," he spat.

Aika, furious at the mistreatment of her sister let out a scream. "SAKI!" she yelled and charged at the boys. The small girl, however, was outmatched and was easily knocked to the ground as well. Aika bit back the tears that threatened to fall and continued yelling at the older boys in her gibberish language. The boys just laughed and turned away from them, finding another place on the playground to go to. Sakaki pushed herself up and embraced Aika.

"How dare you!" she screamed at the boys' retreating figures. "It's bad enough that you would pick on a girl, but how could you be so cruel as to hurt a little girl who can't even fight back! You are both horrible people and you deserve to be alone forever!" As Sakaki helped her younger sister off the ground, she looked over her shoulder and saw Katashi glanced back at them one last time, regret and shame overwhelming his ever feature.

_**I'm really interested in what you have to say and what you think will happen. Also, suggestions are always welcome! Please, tell me what you think! The more reviews I get, the sooner I'll update. Thanks for reading!**_

_**Mew Painappuru**_


	5. Chapter 5

**_James Birdsong, thank you for your kind words throughout this story! ZaXo Ken'Ichi, once again, thank you for your words of praise and advice. It means so much to me. I'm happy you're still enjoying this story and I hope that it will continue to please. Musician74, I feel honored that I'm your first Azumanga review! Thanks so much! Thank you for your input as well. Looking back into the story, I agree that it does seem a bit rushed, and for that I apologize. I plan to go through it later and revise it. Perhaps I'll add a few more chapters and space out the time a bit better. But that aside, I'm glad you're enjoying this story :)_**

Five

_That had been the first time Aika had said something that made the littlest bit of sense. I felt so honored that my name was the first real word to escape her lips. And slowly, she started getting better at speaking. Until, something tragic happened…_

"Aika's been sick before, but she always got better, so that's how I know she's going to get better this time," Sakaki said as she followed her father from the kitchen and into the hallway. She made sure that she walked slowly so that she wouldn't spill the large cup of orange juice that she was holding in her hands. She and her father walked up the stairs and then into Aika's room, where the little girl was laying on her bed, under a bunch of covers.

The small girl, whose face was colorless and stood out against her dark hair, turned and smiled weakly at her father and older sister. "Saki… Papa…" she muttered and then erupted into a fit of coughing.

Her father gently placed the plate of food he was holding on the nightstand and then sat down on the bed beside Aika. He helped his youngest daughter sit up and held her, gently rubbing her back until her coughs died down. When Aika was calm once again, she looked up at him with teary eyes and smiled again. "Please just relax, Aika," her father said, his voice cracking slightly with emotion. "Sakaki has brought some juice for you. And your mother made you some toast and eggs. You don't have to eat if you aren't feeling well enough, but it's here for you if you want it." Aika nodded and opened her mouth to thank him, but he held up his hand to silence her. "No more talking right now. I just want you to rest." He then kissed her head and stood up from the bed and turned to the older girl. "Sakaki, you may stay in here for a little while and keep Aika company, but I do want her to rest, so don't stay in here too long. Let Aika get some sleep."

"Yes, Father," Sakaki replied as she watched him leave the room. She then moved forward and placed the glass of juice on the night table next to the plate of food. "Mommy and Daddy are worried," Sakaki said to her sister. "But I think it's just because they are parents. Parents always worry. But I know that you're going to get better. It's just a little cold, right?"

Aika nodded and reached for her orange juice. She took a few large gulps and then placed the cup back in its place. "I good," she said quietly. She coughed a few more times, earning an alarmed look from Sakaki.

"What are you doing?" she scolded the small girl. "Daddy said no talking! Every time you try to talk, you start coughing. You'll never get better if you don't knock it off. And you do want to get better, don't you?" Aika nodded and Sakaki grinned. "Exactly. So keep those lips shut little sister! I don't want to hear a peep out of you."

As much as Sakaki wanted Aika to get better, she couldn't help but feel sad that Aika wasn't allowed to speak. In just a few months, the little girl had gotten so much better at speaking and was learning quickly to say more and more words. It seemed so unfair that she was no longer allowed to speak anymore because of a silly cold. She sighed sadly and took a seat on her sister's bed, watching the smaller girl nibble at her toast.

"You know, I heard Mommy and Daddy talking about going on a trip for Christmas this year." Sakaki said, trying to rid the room of the awful silence it had fallen into. "I think that would be a lot of fun. I wonder where they would want to go…" She and Aika fell into silence once again. Sakaki felt uncomfortable trying to talk to her sister while the younger girl couldn't respond.

She felt Aika shift underneath the blankets and saw that the little girl was snuggling down, getting ready to fall asleep. "Oh…" she said sadly. "Are you sleepy?" When Aika nodded Sakaki stood up. "Well, alright then. Dad told me not stay in here long anyway. I guess I'll leave and let you get some rest. I hope you feel better Aika. I'll come check on you it a little bit." Sakaki turned to leave, but was stopped by a sudden pressure on her wrist. She looked back and saw Aika clutching her, a sad look in her eyes. "Aika… What's the matter?" she asked.

Aika shook her head and pulled her sister closer to the bed. Then she motioned for Sakaki to bend closer, which the older girl did. "Saki… Stay," Aika rasped, her eyes wide and pleading.

Sakaki smiled, warmed that her sister didn't want her to leave. "Ok, Aika. I'll stay, but only for a little while longer, alright? I can't stay in here forever. And besides, just because you are stuck in bed all day, doesn't mean I should be too," she joked. She kissed her little sister on the forehead and then laid down next to her.

Aika grinned and cuddled against her sister. Sakaki gently caressed the little girl's soft hair and whispered the words of the song their mother used to sing to them when they were younger at bedtime.

"_Autumn brought some kind of change, sky's not as blue as it used to be…" _

As she sung, Sakaki listened to Aika's breaths become heavier and heavier as sleep was taking its claim over the little girl.

"_The moon won't come out and the sun stopped it's shining, It feels like the entire world isn't turning no more…"_

Sakaki's mind drifted to how true those words actually seemed to be at the time. Since Aika got sick a couple of days ago, life didn't seem to be the same. Her parents were more concerned then she felt comfortable with and she felt so alone without having her sister by her side.

"_Does anyone know where my baby's gone, I just got to find her, I wanna right what I've done wrong…"_

Despite how troubled her parents seemed to be at the time, Sakaki still remained calm. She was still assured that Aika was going to make a full recovery. Soon, she would be back to her happy, energetic self and they would play together all day to make up for lost time.

"_Does anyone know when she'll come back round, I just got to tell her that no one will love her, No one will hold her…"_

Sakaki felt her eyes getting heavy and she slowly began to nod off. She glanced at Aika and was pleased to see that she was asleep. The older girl closed her eyes, promising herself that she would just rest her eyes for a little bit and then leave, like her father had asked her. But she lost control over her mind and body and fell victim to sleep within a minute.

"…_like me…."_

**_Author's note: The song is called "Does Anyone Know" by Vic Mignogna. It's a beautiful song. I obviously don't own the song or Vic (although I wish I did because he is fabulous). Just wanted to get the disclaimer out of the way :) Anyway..._**

_**I'm really interested in what you have to say and what you think will happen. Also, suggestions are always welcome! Please, tell me what you think! The more reviews I get, the sooner I'll update. Thanks for reading!**_

_**Mew Painappuru**_


	6. Chapter 6

**_James Birdsong, I can't thank you enough for always having something nice to say about my story. It means a lot! ZaXo Ken'Ichi, Once again, I thank you for your advice. You've helped me a lot, giving me tips that will hopefully improve the way I write this and all of my other stories as well. Commas is a huge thing for me. I've always been bad about comma placement, so I'm not surprised you noticed that. Haha..._**

Six

_Aika always wore her hair up in two high pigtails. She was always so cute. But when she started getting really sick, she kept her hair down. She said she felt like she had no reason to look cute anymore. But, no matter what she looked like, she was always cute to me…_

When Sakaki woke up, the clock on her bedside said that it was almost four o'clock. She didn't know how she had managed to sleep for so long, but she hoped that her parents wouldn't be upset with her for not helping out around the house. She slipped out of her room and made her way downstairs, looking for her mom and dad, but neither of them could be found. She ran around the whole first floor and then ran out into the yard, but she still couldn't find them. Sakaki walked to the bottom of the stairs and looked up at the second floor, wondering if they were up there and she just didn't notice when she had left her room. With a sigh, she climbed back up the stairs and pushed open the door to her parents' bedroom.

"Mom?" Sakaki said shyly as she walked in. Sari was sitting on her bed alone. Sakaki noticed tears slowly slipping down her mother's cheeks. "Mom, are you alright?" She rushed to her mother's side, taking a seat next to her on the bed, and threw her arms around the woman. Sakaki's mother laid her head down on the girl's shoulder and began to sob. Confused, Sakaki didn't know what to do, so she just gently rubbed her mother's back and held her, letting the woman's tears soak through the sleeve of her T-shirt.

They were only alone for a few minutes, for Sakaki's father walked into the room. At the sight of his wife crying on Sakaki's shoulder, he gasped and tears formed in his eyes as well. He sat down on the other side of Sakaki and put his arms around both Sari and Sakaki. He said nothing, but just held the two of them. Sakaki leaned into her father's embrace and tried desperately to figure out what everyone was so upset about. However, she felt like it was the wrong time to speak, so she remained quiet.

Sakaki's father finally released his hold on them and he took Sakaki's hands in his. "My beautiful daughter," he said in a watery voice, a few tears still making their way down his face, "I hope you know how much your mother and I love you."

"Yes, of course," Sakaki said with a nod. "But, please, what is going on? Why are you and Mom so sad?"

Her father stroked her long hair and stared at her with sad eyes for a few seconds. Then, he took a deep breath and said, "Aika didn't have a cold. It was much, much worse. But the doctors didn't know that, and so we were only treating her for a cold. The medicine didn't help her because it was not meant to cure her ailment. Honey…" He choked up and took a moment to regain his composure.

But Sakaki didn't need him to finish. The worst possible scenario filled her mind and she ran from her parents' bedroom to Aika's. She flung the door open tears burst from her eyes. "Aika!" she screamed. She rushed into the room and threw herself over her sister's small body. "Aika! Aika!" she wailed, her tears falling off her cheeks and onto her sister's nightgown. Sakaki's body convulsed with her sobs as she stroked her little sister's pale cheek and smoothed the girl's dark hair. "Aika… I'm sorry… I'm sorry I couldn't help you…"

"Sakaki…" Her father's soft voice came from the doorway, but Sakaki didn't move. She couldn't. She felt glued to her sister, as if letting go of her would be betraying the small child more than she already felt like she did. "Sakaki, honey, come on… You shouldn't be in here."

"I can't! I can't leave her!" Sakaki wept. "I can't leave my little sister… I have to… I have to show her how much I love her!"

Her father placed his hand on her shoulder. "Sakaki, she knew… She knew how much you loved her and she loved you very much in return. But there is nothing you can do now. You have to let her go. Come sit with your mother and me and we can talk this together."

"No!" Sakaki yelled, pushing her father off of her. "You didn't love her like I did! You don't understand! You never understood! No one ever understood her! Only me! Just leave me alone!"

"Sakaki, I can't leave you here. Come back now."

"NO!" Sakaki screamed.

Her father sighed with sadness. "Sakaki…" he tried to think of something persuasive to say to her, but nothing came to mind. Instead, he just grabbed her by the waist and lifted her into his arms. Because of her age, she was a bit old to be held in such a way, but he was not going to allow her to stay in the room with her deceased sister. He carried her out of the room while she kicked and screamed and cried as if she were a small child again. He sat her down on his and his wife's bed in their room, where she was wrapped in her mother's arms. The two women cried together while her father went back to Aika's room for a short while. When he returned, they were both fast asleep. Sakaki was curled up against her mother, her cheeks still shiny with tears. Sari still had her arms around Sakaki, holding her tightly as if she was afraid she was going to lose their eldest daughter as well.

_**I'm really interested in what you have to say and what you think will happen. Also, suggestions are always welcome! Please, tell me what you think! The more reviews I get, the sooner I'll update. Thanks for reading!**_

_**Mew Painappuru**_


	7. Chapter 7

_**Wetdry, I'm sorry if you were disappointed. Your idea was really amazing though and I wish I had thought of it myself. It would have made a great twist to the story. James Birdsong, Thank you! ZaXo Ken'Ichi, Thank you very much! :)**_

Seven

_I don't think I will ever be able to say that I have gotten over Aika's death. She was like my other half. Without her, I feel incomplete. Without her, I feel like I have no reason to speak… No reason to breathe… It was the hardest thing I ever had to deal with and it hurt so, so much. Because I was no longer needed as Aika's interpreter, I felt like I had no purpose in life. So, basically, I shut down._

For a long time after Aika's funeral, Sakaki's parents couldn't get her to leave her bedroom. All she did was sit up there and cry or stare at the ceiling. She didn't eat and she started to get really sick. Her parents were worried, but there wasn't much they could do. She refused to talk to them and she refused to venture outside of her room. It had gotten so bad that her father threatened to kick the door down and have her shipped off to a hospital several times. But Sakaki always knew that he was just saying those things out of anger and grief, so she stayed where she was. It was hard for her to sleep at night because her thoughts always kept her awake. When she did sleep, it was because she had passed out from exhaustion, and her sleep was always plagued by nightmares.

When she finally came out of her room, her mom cried. Sari sat there sobbing, holding Sakaki tightly and made her promise to never do anything like that again. But she couldn't promise her anything for two reasons. The first reason was that she wasn't sure if she would ever get better. It was always possible for her to become upset like that again and completely shut herself off from the world. The second reason was that she couldn't bring herself to speak at all. Every time she opened her mouth and tried to say something, it just felt wrong. It almost felt as if she were betraying Aika. And that was pain that she just couldn't bear.

Sakaki's dad desperately tried to help Sari and his daughter move on and make their family seem whole again. But it was nearly impossible. They couldn't seem to fill the void that Aika left in their hearts. Nothing he tried worked and Sakaki felt sorry for him. She knew how hard he was trying to make life normal and easy for them again, but they couldn't bring themselves to smile and be happy when someone so precious to them wasn't there to share their joy. It just wasn't right. But her father never gave up. He kept pushing them. He planned family outings and nights where they would spend quality time together. Eventually, he won Sari over. It took a bit of time, but she was finally able to laugh and smile again. Sakaki, however, proved to be the biggest challenge because even after two months, she still refused to speak.

The school year was coming to an end. Sakaki's grades never faltered, amazingly, but she didn't really care either way. She didn't bury herself in her studies, but she didn't completely blow it off either. She just went through her daily life as if she were on auto-pilot. She didn't think about what she was doing, she just did it. Her parents and teachers always told her how proud she should be that she was able to maintain such good marks while still recovering from such a tragic loss, but their words meant nothing to her. Sakaki wasn't proud of anything. She was just a hollow, empty shell. And she was just fine with staying that way. She didn't want to open up to anyone anymore. She didn't see the point. She figured she was just going to lose them all over again, and she wasn't prepared to deal with that.

During the summer break, Sakaki mainly stayed in the house. The only time she really went out was when her father had planned little outings for them, such as picnics or a day in the park. Once he took Sari and Sakaki to an amusement park, but Sakaki didn't go on any of the rides, and they ended up going home early. After that, her father yelled at her for a little over an hour. He told her that he understood the pain she was going through, but that she needed to at least try to move on with her life. He was tired of watching her waste her life away. He then said that he had signed her up for a summer program that was being held at the high school she was going to start attending. There was no way for her to talk her way out of it. Sakaki tried. She cried every day and begged her parents not to make her go, but they wouldn't give in. They said that she needed to go out into the world the world to get fresh air and clear her troubled mind.

And so, Sakaki started the Summer Athletes' Program at her future high school. The first day was terrible. She showed up and was instantly petrified at the sight of all the other athletes. She had always been pretty decent at sports, but these people were here to prove themselves and compete. Sakaki wasn't looking for a competition. She didn't even want to be there… For the first day, she just sat to the side and watched the clouds. The coaches and instructors tried coaxing her out onto the field to play, but it was no use. They told her father about how she refused to do anything and he scolded her for such actions. She was told that she had no choice but to play the next day.

And so, the following day, Sakaki did as she was told. She ran races and jumped hurdles. She shot basketballs and hit baseballs. She did exceptionally well and the coaches kept trying to encourage her to sign up for teams for the high school. But, no matter who asked her, she always said no. She didn't want to join any teams or clubs. She just wanted to be alone. She wanted to sulk in her misery and grieve for her little sister.

But someone changed that. On the last day of the Athletes' Program, families of the athletes came to watch their child compete in different activities. Sakaki's mother and father were two of the many proud parents that were cheering for their child. Sakaki was sitting on the lush grass, waiting for the race she was competing in to start. Her knees were drawn up to her chest and her chin was resting on top of them. She stared miserably at her mother and father, wishing that Aika could be there as well. She let out a quiet sigh. Suddenly, there was a tap on her shoulder. Sakaki jumped and looked over her shoulder to see who had approached her. She was surprised to see a woman, who seemed to be in her early thirties, standing beside her.

"Hello," she said in a soft voice. "You're Sakaki, correct?" Sakaki simply nodded. "Do you mind if I sit beside you?" the woman asked. Sakaki shook her head and the woman took a seat. She smoothed out her yellow sundress and smiled at the younger girl. "I guess you don't remember me, do you?" When Sakaki shook her head again, the young woman nodded. "That's understandable. My name is Atsuko Miyamoto. I was Aika's kindergarten teacher."

Sakaki's eyes widened with shock and she could feel tears prick the corners of her eyes. She couldn't believe that Aika's teacher from so long ago remembered who she was. She also couldn't imagine why the woman would want to sit with her. If she was here, surely she had a child she was supposed to be cheering for, right…?

"Listen, Sakaki… I know that you and I don't exactly know each other very well, and you may not think that it is my place to say something like this, but I heard about Aika. I'm very sorry that your family has suffered such a terrible loss. Aika was a beautiful, bright, young girl, and she will be missed so much by so many people. I've kept in touch with your mother since having Aika as a student because the little girl was very dear to me, as were you, Sakaki. I don't know if your mother ever told you, but whenever we got on the topic of Aika, I couldn't help but praise you for how much you loved your sister and how you took care of her. I will never forget the day that you came into my class and figured out that Aika wasn't feeling well, and then took her to the nurse."

Sakaki blushed. She didn't expect to be remembered for such a little deed. She was just taking care of Aika, like she was supposed to. She never really thought that it was a big deal.

"I hope you don't get angry with your mother for telling me this, but she mentioned that you have become a bit of an introvert since your sister's passing. She told me how you don't like to talk or go out and spend time with other people. Sakaki, I just wanted to come over here and tell you that I think you should reconsider your actions. You see, I may not have been able to understand Aika as well as you, but I could see the way she looked at you and how much adoration she had for you. And, well, I don't think that she would like to see you living this way. I really think that she would much rather you lived your life to the fullest. Make high school a brand new start for you. Don't shy away from people because you are grieving, but don't forget how much you loved your little sister either. Make lots of friends and have a lot of fun. Aika wouldn't want you to do anything else. And, besides, she's never truly gone. She will always be in your heart and she will always be watching over you."

Tears spilled down Sakaki's cheeks as Ms. Miyamoto spoke. Her words truly touched the young woman because she knew that she was speaking the truth. Aika would be very disappointed if she knew that Sakaki was locking herself away from the rest of the world.

"Anyway, I just really wanted to talk to you about that. I suppose I've bothered you long enough. I really hope you take what I said into consideration. Have a good day, Sakaki. I'll be rooting for you." With that, the teacher stood up and walked away.

_**I'm really interested in what you have to say and what you think will happen. Also, suggestions are always welcome! Please, tell me what you think! The more reviews I get, the sooner I'll update. Thanks for reading!**_

_**Mew Painappuru**_


	8. Chapter 8

**_James Birdsong, Thank you very much! Nomsworth,Thank a lot! I tried to base Sakaki's reaction off of what I would be like if I were to ever lose my siblings. I'm glad you found it to be realistic and I appreciate you taking the time to share your own, personal story with me :) ZaXo Ken'Ichi, I didn't really notice how cliche the last chapter was until you said anything. And quite honestly, I wish I had thought up the idea mentioned, because it would probably make the story a little more interesting. But, oh well. I kind of think that this and the next chapter are also going to be a bit cliched, but it'll make for a cute and decent ending. Perhaps I can return to this story late and fix it up. Anyway though... Thanks for your review! Enjoy this next chapter!_**

Eight

_Ms. Miyamoto's words meant more than anyone could ever know. And I knew how right she was. Aika would have been terribly upset to see me living in never-ending grief. So I made a promise to myself that I would start high school as a new person. I was going to try and live my life again. I wanted to make lots of friends and be involved in school activities. I wanted to make Aika proud of me. I wanted to show her that I could move on and be happy again, just like I knew she would want me to. _

The first day of high school was so nerve-wracking. Sakaki was terrified that she wasn't going to be able to fulfill her promise to her little sister. She sat in her class and looked around, trying to figure out which of her peers might make good friends. As she mentally evaluated her classmates, her eyes met those of another girl, who also seemed to be studying everyone. Sakaki's face grew warm and she looked away, choosing to stare out the window instead. She was too scared and embarrassed to resume looking at the other students, so she stared out the window for the rest of class. She was still able to pay attention to their teacher, Miss Yukari, as she introduced their transfer student, a ten year old girl named Chiyo. She listened to the lessons and the only time she looked away from the window was when she was doing her work. As she stared at the bright cherry blossoms, which lines the walkway entrance to the school, her mind wandered to Aika, as it usually did. In her mind, Sakaki pictured her younger sister dressed in her school uniform, sitting in class and doing work with her friends. Her train of thought was broken when a childish voice rang out from beside her.

"Um… Excuse me?"

Sakaki jumped slightly, startled that a little girl's voice had sounded while she had been thinking of her sister. The teen turned and was even more surprised to see Chiyo standing there. The little girl had a kind smile and a stack of papers in her hands.

"Excuse me, I'm collecting everyone's career preference sheets," Chiyo said.

"Oh…" was all Sakaki could manage to say in response. She lifted the paper off of her desk and handed it to the younger girl.

"Thank you very much!" As Chiyo looked over Sakaki's paper, the older student took the time to get a better look at the small girl standing in front of her.

Sakaki hadn't paid much attention to Chiyo when she had been introduced on the first day. It amazed her how similar she was to Aika. Sakaki faintly remembered Miss Yukari saying that Chiyo was ten years old, only a year younger than Aika. Chiyo also wore her hair in two pigtails, that way Aika always had. Sakaki found the similarities to be almost chilling, but she looked into Chiyo's chocolate colored eyes and found the same kindness and warmth that she had always seen in her sister's. Sakaki felt her cheeks flush as she suddenly felt a deep affection for the little girl start to spread through her chest. She quickly turned back to the window, hoping that Chiyo hadn't seen her blush.

Throughout the rest of the day, Sakaki couldn't help but dwell on the thoughts of Chiyo and Aika's similarities. She was filled with the desire to get closer to the little girl and get to know her better. She wanted to see if she related to Aika in any other ways. She hoped that she and the small girl would become friends and spend more time during the school year. She had a feeling, deep within her, that Chiyo would be almost like another little sister, and perhaps, that would make coping with the loss of Aika a little easier. The final bell rang and Sakaki slowly began to put her belongings into her school bag. As she did so, one of her classmates approached her.

"Miss Sakaki?" Sakaki looked up and searched her mind for the name of the girl before her. She was almost certain that she heard someone call the girl Kaorin. Sakaki desperately hoped that was her name, so that she didn't make a bad first impression. She wanted to make friends. She _had_ promised her sister, after all. "I was wondering, do you belong to any clubs or anything?"

"Uh.. No," Sakaki replied in a quiet voice. "Can't say I do." She didn't let her face show it, but her heart was suddenly beating faster. She was sure that Kaorin was going to ask her to join a club. That would be the perfect opportunity to make friends and prove that she could still lead a happy and fun-filled life.

"Well, you see…" Kaorin continued, a slight blush appearing across her face. "I belong to the astronomy club and…"

"Astronomy club?" Sakaki repeated, her interesting rising a bit. She had never considered astronomy before, but she was willing to try something new.

"Y…Yeah!" Kaorin stuttered, her nervousness getting the better of her. "That right! We do research on stars and talk about things like outer space. And sometimes, we go stargazing! So, uh, if you like, of course, would you be…"

"Would I what?" Sakaki asked, wondering why the other girl had trailed off. She sounded like she was about to ask her to join the club. Why had she stopped?

Kaorin threw her hands in front of her chest and gasped. "Uh, sorry! If you're not interested in that kind of thing, I understand! It's ok, really! So please… Forget anything I just told you…" She bowed quickly. "I'll see you around!" she shouted before running off.

Sakaki opened her mouth to stop her from leaving, but her shyness held her words captive. She watched Kaorin leave the classroom and never said anything to convince her that she _would _like to join the astronomy club.

_I wish she'd invited me…_ She thought to herself. How else was she supposed to keep her promise to Aika?

_**I'm really interested in what you have to say and what you think will happen. Also, suggestions are always welcome! Please, tell me what you think! The more reviews I get, the sooner I'll update. Thanks for reading!**_

_**Mew Painappuru**_


	9. Chapter 9

_**Well... Here's the final chapter of "Those Voices". I just want to thank everyone so much for taking the time to read and review this story. It means more to me than you could ever understand. My readers are my motivation to keep writing! So, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it! ZaXo Ken'Ichi, The previous chapter, as well as this one, might actually be one of my favorites. I'm glad you didn't find the last chapter as cliched as I thought it was going to be. Thank you so much for all the support you've given me throughout this story. I hope you enjoy the ending! James Birdsong, Thank you for all of your support as well. I'm glad you've enjoyed this story!**_

Epilogue

_I'm honestly not even sure how it happened, but I somehow got roped into this little circle of friends. We all just sort of… connected, I suppose. And now, we're inseparable. I have best friends, like I so desperately wanted and knew that I needed. I can smile and have fun again. I no longer spend all my time locked away, drowning myself in grief and sorrow. I face the world with open arms. Although I still wish, more than anything in the world, that Aika was still with me, my friends- you guys- have made life so much easier for me. I know I can go to any of you with my troubles and I know that you will always be there to listen and support me. I can't thank you enough for that… _

_You each bring something different, and special, into my life. You make my life colorful and so interesting. You each have something inside of you that fits with me like a puzzle pieces. We complete each other, and, more importantly, you all complete me. You all make me exactly who I am. Together, we make up one beautiful picture. _

_You remind me about the importance of being spontaneous and always having a positive outlook on life. Of course, if there is a time where mourning is necessary, then it is always alright to cry. But there is no point is sitting around and doing nothing. Life isn't going to wait for us to pull ourselves together. It's going to keep moving, whether we want it to or not. So, we have to be willing to experience as much as we can and have fun whenever possible._

_You remind me about the importance of friendship. Throughout the years, friends will fight. But we can't let that tear us apart. We need to be understanding and supportive for each other. We are nothing without our friends. They bring out the good and bad in each of us and we have to thank them for doing both. If we hang on to our friends, despite their flaws, oddities, and problems, they could end up being our friends for life. We can't let that go… Friends are one of the only things that can hold us together when it seems as if the world is falling apart._

_You remind me of how important it is to think outside of the box and not care too much about what people think of you. There is nothing wrong with being different. In fact, the world lacks originality and we should really respect those who are not afraid to just be themselves. Creativity is something that we seem to take for granted. However, it is our own, outlandish way of thinking that could end up doing something amazing for the world. We can't ignore any creative thought that we may have, no matter how crazy it may seem. _

_You remind me about the importance of dedication. It's important to show dedication to something that means a lot to us. The hobbies we devote ourselves to make up who er are and tend to make us stronger in many different ways. And sometimes, a little competition is always a good thing. While it's good to occasionally act on impulse, we also need to have a level head. Always being conscious of our actions will help us succeed in what we do. But we can never let ourselves become so disciplined that we forget to have fun. _

_You remind me about the importance of compassion and love. No matter what anyone says, we should never hold back the love we have for another person. We can't let fear control our lives. If we have feelings for a certain person, we need to let them know. Living in fear of rejection will get nothing accomplished. We need to step up and take the risk. It's hard to overcome a shy nature, but sometimes we need to step out of our comfort zone in order to live life to the fullest and experience our dreams come true._

_You have reminded me about the importance of never giving up. We need to constantly be doing our best and use our talents to our advantage. We can't let our imperfections and weaknesses get the better of us. We have to constantly push ourselves to be the best we can possibly be. There will always be a reward for being determined to be our best. It might be something as simple as a good grade, but it might also be something as drastic as pulling one's self out of the shadows of a sorrowful mind and being able to embrace the sun again. With hard work, we will always be able to find happiness._

_Thank you so much, to all of you for your roles in my life. It means more than you can imagine and I know that I will never be able to thank you all enough. However, I will always be the best friend I possibly can for you, and, just like you were here for me, I will always be here for you as well._

_**The End**_


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